Transcript: Corzine's Victory Speech

Good evening, everyone. I love you. I love you. You guys are
terrific.

I can only say that it is absolutely one of the greatest thrills
of my life to be here, to be the next United States senator from the
state of New Jersey.

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From the bottom of my heart, I love you and I look forward to
being your senator every day for the next six years.

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For everyone in the room tonight, I want to say I thank you for
joining me in this special moment, joining my family and me and all of
my friends here who have made this possible. I want to make this
special moment possible for everyone in the state of New Jersey.

I appreciate your warmth and your support. I also want you to
know I will dedicate my service in the United States Senate to making
sure everybody has the same opportunity at the American promise that
I’ve had.

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About a half an hour ago, Congressman Franks gave me a call, and
he was very generous and gracious in his remarks. And I want to
return the favor of saying how important I think this election has
been, but I want to congratulate him on a very, very competitive race,
and actually his graciousness in how we have handled this whole
process.

I want to say, everyone give him a hand. I respect his service
to the state of New Jersey and our nation.

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He was a worthy competitor. And I know, if we can work together,
join hands together in our spiritual life, I know we can in our
secular life, Bob Franks is a good man.

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Now let me say that I am honored by the small “d” democratic
process that made its judgment and made its choice today. I respect
the people of New Jersey for the choice they made and I hope very much
to be a great senator, in the footsteps of Frank Lautenberg and Bob
Torricelli.

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And as Joanie (ph) said, as my wife said, I trust the judgment of
the people of New Jersey. I could not be more humbled by that
confidence that they have expressed, and I look forward, as I said,
working the next six years to do those things that we’ve talked about
over and over in this election. Making sure that we invest in a
health care system for everyone in America.

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Making sure we deliver a prescription drug benefit for all of our
seniors.

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That we invest in our educational system, from early
childhood education to our higher education, where everyone has hope
to go to college.

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I want to make sure we have universal registration and licensing
of guns.

And, most importantly, I want to make sure everyone has access —
open access to the American dream. That means we have to have —
embrace a positive view of affirmative action, equal pay for equal
work for women, and an outlawing of racial profiling.

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Now political campaigns are tough. Sometimes, I think maybe
they’re too tough. They thicken a candidate’s skin, that’s for sure. And they challenge the spirit. But if a candidate remembers he or she
isn’t alone, if a candidate remembers that there’s a larger purpose, if a candidate stays in touch with his or her roots, then a campaign
can be a joyful journey. And this has been a joyful journey for me,
for my family. And let me assure you, I know my roots. They’re
standing right here. They are my family.

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They’ve made all this possible with their sacrifice and support.
And I hope they can enjoy this moment and this process as much as I
am.

This campaign, this effort, has been a joyous journey, because it
is clear to me from the Jersey shore to the highlands, across New
Jersey our people want a better world. They want a brighter future, a
just and safe community. Make no mistake, the spirit of community is
alive and well in New Jersey.

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Another thing — and this is important. This campaign has always
been about a purpose, a purpose greater than personal recognition,
power or special interests.

This effort has been about the joy of making sure that
we serve our children; to make sure that they have an education that
lifts them up in life; that they have quality health care. I will
fight for those things in the United States Senate.

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This effort has been a joyous journey because its purpose is to
serve our seniors, our veterans, our greatest generation, who has
given us the opportunity of this great prosperity in America.

And this journey has been joyous because its purpose is to demand
of America inclusion for everyone; an America where every person has
access at the American promise, just like my family and I have had.
We need to fight for that.

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On this score, we need to develop a more perfect union.

Finally, this campaign has been a joyous journey because in my
heart, this is only the beginning. We are just entering the fray.
This is the beginning, not the end. People and purpose will be the
hallmarks of my service in the United States Senate, the focus of
every day of my six-year term. To each New Jersey citizen I say,
“Hold me accountable to that pledge.”

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Now understanding the hour is late. We’ve had a little to-ing
and fro-ing going on tonight, I want to say a few thanks. There
really are too many people to thank. And I will not be able to get
all of it out.

I want you to all know, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate
everything everyone has done. I know that no one does anything in
life by themselves. They do it because they join hands. They lift
each other up together. That’s what this election has been about.
That’s what this process is about. And I want your help to make that
happen in the next six years.

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First of all, let me thank the voters of New Jersey. Again, I
appreciate your confidence. I will not betray that confidence.

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Next, I want you to know that the elected officials, many of them
who are on the stage tonight, have made a terrific difference.
Actually from the United —f rom President Clinton all the way down to
the mayors of our towns and the council people, have reached out and
made a difference.

I would be remiss, though, if I didn’t single out two
particular ones. First of all, Frank Lautenberg, who has been a
great, great senator.

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No one has worked harder, no one has given more, or no one has
put New Jersey first more than Frank Lautenberg. And I look forward
to working with him in the years ahead to fulfill the legacy that he
has put in place.

Let me also thank Senator Torricelli, who is working down in
Washington to make a great difference.

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I look forward to being his partner. I look forward to being his
friend and I know together we will deliver for the state of New
Jersey.

To this man, Tom Giblet (ph), who has led this Democratic Party.
Let’s hear a rousing round of applause.

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To the county chairs that have organized this effort and to the
county committee folks who made it happen, I say thank you. No one
wins without your help.

You know, by the way, Joanie (ph) and I were new to politics and
a couple of years ago somebody said, GOTV. We thought that was a
television station. It’s what Tom Giblet (ph) has taught me how to
deliver.

(LAUGHTER)

Let me give a special word of thanks also to some special New
Jersey Democrats, two people who have a very bright future. One is
Bill Bradley who helped campaign for me. He’s not here tonight but
let’s hear it for Bill Bradley.

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And the second is something that we’re all going to go to work on
tomorrow morning and that’s to make sure we have a next governor of
New Jersey, Jim McGravy (ph).

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Tomorrow morning I expect you to be working, Jim.

(LAUGHTER)

(UNKNOWN): (OFF-MIKE)

CORZINE: What’s new?

Let me say now something that is truly special and I know made a
difference in this race, and that is labor.

The AFL-CIO, Charlie Nelson (ph) and Kimmie Cannigliero
(ph), Laura Brennan (ph), a whole series of everyone got out and made
the difference. I’ve said over and over today, I’ve walked with
labor, I’ll work with labor and I won with labor. And I thank you.

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Let me also say to the people in the leadership of minority and
ethnic communities, the environmental movement, women’s groups across
the state, I say a special thank you, because I know you made a
difference. Your challenges are my challenges.

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And of all those I’ve thanked, let me say to the African-American
clergy, I want to make clear that I know that you know and the public
should know you are truly unbought and unbossed.

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To my campaign chairs, Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg (ph) …

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She is a winner.

To Mayor Sharpe James (ph) and Assemblyman Rudy Garcia (ph),
thank you for your incredible help. From the start to finish, you
provided the counsel, the warmth, the support that’s made a difference
to make this successful effort.

And, Sharpe (ph), you know you were right when you said to a
whole bunch of crowds all over this state, “You can’t wish him in.
You can’t pray him in. You’ve got to vote him in.” You have voted me
in.

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They did, and I know it, and I thank you.

To Debra Lynch (ph), Nancy Dunlap (ph), Warren Kramer (ph), and
hundreds of friends and neighbors, I could not be more appreciative of
your help. Personal friends who work to make their friend’s dreams
come true are truly special people. You all are special people.

To Chuck Rush (ph), I thank you for your care and counsel and
prayers, for both Bob and myself.

And to my campaign staff, to all who have endured the trial by
fire of two tough elections over 19 months, for managing a halting
neophyte, an occasional grouch, and a leading to tonight’s magnificent
victory, I say, thank you.

You should be proud. I am proud of you.

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Particularly I am proud of the young lady over on my right,
Christie Davis (ph), one of the strongest, most remarkable young
ladies in politics.

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And to Steve DeMico (ph), for your judgment and your solid pair
of hands. When we needed stability, Steve DeMico (ph) delivered, and
I thank him.

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To Steven Goldstein (ph), who is not here, who helped us in the
primary. Tom Shay (ph), Patti McGuire (ph), Regina Thomas (ph) and
Joe Tyrell (ph), your leadership has been outstanding. You’ve
delivered on this night.

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And I have to say special thanks, for there is a guy that has
driven around in a Ford Explorer for about a year, named Scott Kish
(ph), who is a wonderful human being. I don’t know where Scott is.
And Tanya Crawvich (ph) who works in my office. They’re terrific in
dealing and facing with everyone.

And to all of the many other staffs, let me tell you I love you
and I thank you. I am grateful for all your help.

And finally, let me say to my family, Joanie, Jenny — Where are
you? — there you are. Josh, and Jeff, Aunt Carrie (ph), my mother,
Nancy, my brother Alan (ph), to all of you, I want to say thank you.
You are the foundation that has made this possible in my life. You
are those roots and we thank you very, very much.

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Finally, I could not love these folks more and they could not
have given more to me. But Joanie, you are first among equals.
You’ve seen it all; you’ve shared it all. For about 32 years you’ve been putting up with this act. And most importantly, you, like me, we believe in the American promise. We’ve shared it together, we’ve lived it together and now we want to fight to make sure every one in New Jersey has that same access of the American promise. We will work
tirelessly, relentlessly to make that happen.

I want to say thank you to all of you tonight. Let’s go on and
have some fun and I am glad this is over.